Dispenser for a sheet-like cleaning and dental-care formulation

ABSTRACT

A dispenser for a cleaning and dental-care formulation which is present in solid form as a sheet (1) and is provided in conjunction with a toothbrush (10) for oral and dental hygiene is characterized in that the dispenser and the toothbrush (10) together are designed as a functional unit (20).

The invention relates to a dispenser for a cleaning and dental-careformulation which is present in solid form as a sheet and is provided inconjunction with a toothbrush for oral and dental hygiene.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Such a cleaning and dental-care formulation in solid form is also knownas a "cleaning wafer".

Toothbrushes are generally known means for cleaning teeth manually. Forthe cleaning procedure, an amount of toothpaste is usually applied, froma dispenser tube, directly to the brush and cleaning is carried outtherewith. Cleaning means in the form of powders or in granular form arealso known, these cleaning means sticking to the ends of the bristles,once the previously moistened toothbrush has been dipped therein, andbeing applied to the teeth by the toothbrush in this way.

Recently, sheet-like teeth-cleaning formulations in solid form, known as"dental-care wafers", which are intended to replace the function oftoothpaste have been developed. Such wafers may be stored either aspre-cut individual formulations or as a sheet, preferably in the form ofa roll. In any case, a satisfactory technical solution for the usage ofthese novel sheets or sheet sections, that is to say for the applicationthereof to the head of the toothbrush, have still not been found or madecommercially available. This is because the person using these sheets orsheet sections has to avoid using his or her fingers for applying themto the toothbrush, because it is generally assumed that teeth cleaningis part of a daily body-care routine, in which case one's fingers, ifnot exactly wet, are at least moist, as a result of which the waferspartly dissolve and either stick to the fingers or disintegrate. Thereis thus an urgent need to develop a dispenser which is intended for theconvenient and ergonomically favourable application of dental-carewafers and takes account of the practical requirements of simple andstraightforward storage as well as the application of sheet-likedental-care formulations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to specify a dispenser for a cleaning anddental-care formulation which is present in solid form as a sheet and isprovided in conjunction with a toothbrush for oral and dental hygiene,this dispenser permitting, in a simple and uncomplicated manner,application and storage of a dental-care wafer without the latter cominginto contact with one's fingers.

The object is achieved by the invention in that the dispenser and thetoothbrush together are designed as a functional unit.

One configuration provides that the sheet is stored in the form of aroll in the handle of the toothbrush.

For this purpose, it is also provided that the toothbrush has areceiving space for the storage roll.

Further advantageous configurations of the invention are provided inaccordance with the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The FIGURE of drawing depicts an embodiment of the invention.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is presented hereinbelow, withreference to a drawing, it being possible for further advantageousconfigurations to be gathered from the drawing.

The FIGURE shows a toothbrush 10 which is designed as a functional unit20 together with a dispenser for a cleaning and dental-care formulationwhich is present in solid form as a sheet 1 and is provided inconjunction with the toothbrush 10 for oral and dental hygiene.

The sheet 1 is stored in the form of a roll 2 in the handle 11 of thetoothbrush 10, for which purpose a receiving space 12 for the storageroll 2 is formed on the handle 11 of the toothbrush 10.

It is fundamental to the invention that, at a location in the vicinityof the head 13 of the toothbrush 10, the receiving space 12 has anoutlet orifice 14, directed towards the head 13 of the toothbrush 10,for the sheet 1. Furthermore, a preferably hand-actuable advancementdevice 15 for the sheet 1 is arranged at said location.

In a further embodiment of the functional unit 20, comprising toothbrush10 and dispenser, it is provided that the receiving space 12 has alaterally arranged snap-action cover 16 which extends as far as theadvancement device 15. When said cover is open, a new roll 2 can beinserted and threaded through the outlet orifice. In order to make itpossible for the user to monitor the supply of wafer-containing sheet,it is also provided that the snap-action cover 16 consists oftransparent plastic.

The advancement device 15 has a shaft which is mounted in the handle 11of the toothbrush 10 and has a drive wheel which is arranged in theinterior of the handle 11 and is made of soft resilient material. Theshaft projects out of the handle casing, through a bearing bore, by wayof a grip end and can thus easily be rotated by one's fingers, as aresult of which, with an appropriate direction of rotation, the sheet 1,guided between the wheel and the inner wall of the toothbrush handle 11,is pushed out of the outlet orifice 14, by means of the shaft, in thedirection of the advancement arrow. It is not necessary here for thewafer or the sheet 1 to come into contact with one's fingers.

In order to be able to apply wafer sections of predetermined length tothe brush head 13, it is possible, in a further configuration of thesheet strip 1, for a transversely running line of weakness to be stampedin the sheet at certain intervals, this line of weakness then making itpossible for a sheet section 1 of predetermined length to be broken offwithout difficulty.

The dispenser is uncomplicated, practical to handle and permitsstraightforward application of sheet-like cleaning and dental-careformulations in conjunction with a toothbrush.

I claim:
 1. A toothbrush comprising:a bristle head including bristleshaving free bristle ends; a toothbrush handle connected to said bristlehead, said toothbrush handle defining a wafer sheet receiving space andan outlet orifice communicating with said wafer sheet receiving space;and a hand-actuable advancement device for advancing a cleaning anddental-care formulation in the form of a solid wafer sheet toward saidbristle head, said hand-actuable advancement device and said outletorifice being positioned so as to deliver the solid wafer sheet fromsaid wafer sheet receiving space to an area above said free ends of saidbristles.
 2. A toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, further comprising aroll of cleaning and dental-care formulation in the form of a solidwafer sheet provided in said wafer sheet receiving space.
 3. Atoothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein the advancement device islocated at the end of the receiving space facing the bristle head.
 4. Atoothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiving space has alaterally arranged snap-action cover which extends as far as theadvancement device.
 5. A toothbrush as claimed in claim 4, wherein thesnap-action cover is transparent plastic.
 6. A toothbrush according toone of claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein the advancement device has ashaft mounted in the said handle and a drive wheel mounted in the handleand connected to said shaft, said drive wheel being a soft elasticmaterial and the shaft projecting out of the handle to provide a gripend.